He's The Thorn in My Flesh That I Can't Take Out (ColdFlash One Shots)
by FiddleStixx
Summary: A collection of one-shots and continuation one shots of ColdFlash moments needing to be exposed. (Title inspired by the song Broken Arrow - Pixie Lott)
1. Author's Note (PLEASE READ)

Hello!

Firstly most of all, I hope you enjoy these. While there isn't many right now, there will be more to come. That being said, I must apologize for all the people that wondered where all my ColdFlash stories went. Well, worry no more!

All my ColdFlash stories are sheltered, safe and warm right here for you to read how many times you want, instead of being all separate like before. That way, you don't have to open a billion tabs in your internet browser and I don't have to worry about you reading them! The first two chapter are in picture form and available here - archiveofourown - org - /works/ - 5560969

Have fun reading!

Oh, and if any of you have ideas on what I should write next here, send it my way. I could always use some help.

\- Scott


	2. Personal Vibrator

"I'm here for my daily fix of hugs and kisses." Leonard Snart sarcastically exclaimed as he wandered through the door of Barry's surrogate father's house, confused when he didn't see the young tech on the couch rolling his eyes or at least talking back at him. "Scarlet?"

"Don't think that'll happen-achoo!" Came from upstairs before the floor above him started vibrating with the speed and sound of a jackhammer before stopping, sightly, starting again when another sneeze came from above.

Pursing his lips in a frown, Snart clambered the stairs on route to Barry's bedroom, having to grip onto the railing as another sneeze set off the vibrating again and almost made him topple head over heels before he stopped, followed by a tired sounding groan afterwards.

Managing to get to the top of the stairs without further incident on his part, Snart chuckled at the sight before him as he leaned against the door of Barry's bedroom. "Bartholomew 'I-can't-get-sick-anymore' Allen, what is this?" He taunted, shaking his head as Barry aimed a full on glare at him despite the scene around him.

Poor Barry was dressed in red pajama pants and some sort of Star Wards covered t-shirt Snart would probably never get the reference of as long as he was alive, a mountain of tissues beside him as he buried himself more into his blankets surrounding him, like a turtle hiding in his shell, hiding from Snart. "I told Joe I would be fine. It's not that bad."

"Clearly." Snart rolled his eyes at the speedster as he sneezed again, vibrating the bed and the floor under Snart's feet and making him have to cling onto the doorframe to keep from falling on his butt. The blackmail alone would be damaging. "Hope you're planning to do the patch up job when you shoot through the ceiling."

"Shut up, Len." Barry groaned, blowing his nose again before burying himself in his cocoon more, looking away. "look, just go home. Whatever you were planning, I'm not in the mood for today."

"Oh, poor sweet deluded Barry Allen." Snart teased, sitting at the foot of the bed. "I came to visit you and I find you sick, you really think you can persuade me to leave without your Dad around?"

"Wouldn't be the first you-you-ah-ah-achoo!" Barry's sudden sneeze gave Leonard no time to prepare for it's force and it catapulted him across the room when the bed bucked him off, slamming him against the closet and setting his cold gun off, a frozen TV left in his wake.

"Dude!" Barry's voice got really high when he flipped out and even when he was sick, he still managed to hit a rather high note as he scrambled out of bed to check the damage on both his TV and Snart. "I was watching that!"

"Sorry Allen, I didn't think to remember that your wall has fingers." Leonard groaned, sitting up as he rubbed his head, eyes closed as he felt rather cold fingers pry around it. Opening his eyes, he chuckled at Barry half sitting in his lap checking him over.

"Well, you obviously haven't got a concussion." Barry grumbled, sniffling as he leaned back, swaying from the dizziness the cold was causing. Leonard took notice and pulled Barry close to him with a snort, standing himself up with the wall and carrying Barry bridal style back to the bed and lying down beside him once he got situated. "I'll steal you a new TV later."

Barry was obviously too sick to put up with this shit so he simply groaned and rolled his eyes before snuggling into Leonard's chest, clinging to him with a sigh. Leonard sighed back, curling an arm around the speedster's thin body and pulling him close. "Sleep, Scarlet."

And if Joe casually came home to check on him only to find his foster son struggling like his life depended on it and deepthroating a soup spoon with convicted criminal Leonard Snart holding him down by his leg via a headlock position with a bowl in the other, he didn't say a word.


	3. Blowing Rings Around My Heart

"Uptown girl, she's been living in her uptown world, I bet she never had a backstreet guy, I bet her mama never told her why-" If anyone knew how much Leonard Snart loved Barry Allen right at this moment, they would probably get cavities eventually from Len describing the sight before him over and over again.

Leonard Snart had arrived home on a high note, heist he had planned weeks ago going successfully and giving him a little more leeway in terms of spending money. He mostly used it spoiling Barry, so he had arrived home with a small brunch of fire roses before being stopped in his tracks, mind having taken a flying, fucking leap.

Barry was in the living room of the safe house ast 7:00 at night, shirtless and dancing around with his eyes closed, headphones covering his ears as his - surprisingly - angelic voice rang out loudly. "I'm gonna try for an uptown girl, she's been living in her white bread world, as long as anyone with hot blood can and now she's looking for a downtown man, that's what I am - "

"And when she knows what she wants from her time, and when she wakes up and makes up her mind - " Leonard's mouth dropped as Barry strutted across the room, before grinning with manic glee as he took out his stolen phone and placing it on record, leaning against the doorway oblivious to Barry as he kept doing his thing.

"She'll see I'm not so tough, just because, i'm in love with an uptown girl - " Leonard's face started to soften as Barry turned on the spot, looking like he was giving a performance as he came back to where he originally was. "With an uptown girl, she's my uptown girl, you know, I'm in love, with an uptown girl, my uptown girl, you know I'm in love…"

He trailed off and started singing by himself, taking his headphones out. "With an uptown girl…" He hummed at the end, startling and going red as Leonard started whistling, clapping his hands from the doorway with a rarely seen grin stuck on his face. "Damn, Scarlet..I'm rather impressed."

"Well, I…" Barry started to stutter out a reply, but suddenly his eyes zeroed in on Leonard's phone sticking out from his parka's upper pocket. "Were you taping me?!"

"No…" Leonard shook his head, smirking as Barry's eyes narrowed in on him even more. Sauntering up to him, he kissed the frown off of Barry's lips, but couldn't resist the taunting "You know I'm in love with an uptown guy…" that came out of his lips.

It was almost worth the carpet burn.


	4. Flashlight

**_'I know I'm moving pretty fast, but stop me if you've heard this one before. Boy meets boy. Happens every day. Except this boy was struck by lighting and became the fastest man alive and the man he loves happens to be his nemesis. So, nothing is ever that simple…"_**

Barry ran his hands through his hair in his fifth outfit of the night, bouncing as he nodded to himself before taking off. He didn't want to be late after all. That would be both embarrassing and disappointing on both sides of the scale. Pausing to 'acquire' some flowers (he more like sped in, snatched up a small bunch of roses and practically threw the money at the cashier on his way out), he made his way to the restaurant where he skidded to a stop, grinning at his boyfriend Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold as he did. "Sorry, sorry, I'm so late. Have you been waiting long?"

Snart chuckled, parka replaced with a dark blue button down that showed off his upper arms and jeans, cold gun back at his safe house for once, shaking his head with a smirk. "I'm flattered Scarlet, but you should know I'm not Mick by now." Barry was about inquire what he meant when he saw the roses flaming in his right hand and yelped, quickly throwing him on the floor and stamped on them, cheeks going red in embarrassment as Leonard walked over to him.

 _'I'm stuck in the dark, but you're my flashlight  
You're gettin' me, gettin' me through the night…'_

Jessie J's voice echoed via the restaurant speakers as he took Leonard's hands as he laughed. "Those weren't for me anyway, right?" "They were, I didn't realize roses were so...flammable. Oh my god." Barry looked down at the blackened flowers before looking back at him. "Well, it's the thought that counts?"

Leonard snorted, shaking his head at the CSI in mock pity. "Oh Barry, I'm not even going to dignify that with an answer."

Barry rolled his eyes, chuckling back at his response before speaking, looking up at Leonard with a smile. "I have spent, most of my life, feeling very unlucky."

Leonard smiled back in him, gripping his hand tightly. "Yeah, and now, Scarlet?"

"Feels like I've been struck by lightning twice." He replied back, leaning into kiss Leonard softly before pulling away, pressing their foreheads together.

"Hey!" The moment was suddenly interrupted by Zoom, as he picked up Leonard with one hand and subdued him with the other, staring at Barry with his soulless black eyes before speeding away. Barry panicked for two seconds before speeding after them, trying to keep up with Zoom as they went around the city several times before they stopped on a rather tall skyscraper, rebuilt after the Singularity.

"Help!" Skidding to a stop, Barry's eyes went wide seeing Leonard dangling over the edge of the building, struggling with both his arms around Zoom's own, which was wrapped around his neck. "Help…" Leonard pleaded, looking between Barry and Zoom.

" _Flash…_ " Zoom drawled out the hero's name as he just stood there, helpless, practically growling every syllable out. " _Everything you have, will be mine!_ " He suddenly let go with force and threw Leonard towards the pavement floors below them, Barry screaming out 'No, no!" while reaching out, too late to catch him as he struggled towards the ground in the air, yelling out for Barry.

"No, no!" Barry suddenly awoke with a start in a cold sweat, shaking as he tried to process being awake for several minutes, having to reach out and feel Leonard beside him to even attempt calming down after the nightmare he'd just had. It had been like this for weeks, only tonight was more traumatic.

Getting up, he shakily stood up before making his way to the safe house's kitchen, getting out a glass and filling it with water, taking several of them before the shaking finally stopped, bringing home the paleness of his skin in the kitchen fluorescent light. Shaking his head and trying to control his breathing back down to a manageable level, he finally dumped the glass in the sink and went back to bed, flinching as Leonard's arms wrapped back around him.

"You alright, Scarlet?" Leonard's tried voice drawled out as he buried his face in Barry's shirtless shoulder with a sigh. Barry chuckled, trying to look fine and shook his head, pushing himself down next to Leonard. "I'm fine Len. Go back to sleep."

Snart cracked one eye open, calling bullshit as soon as Barry talked, but didn't push it any further, knowing that he would close up on him if he did. "Alright…night, Barry." He sighed, feeling Barry tuck his face into his chest as he started to doze off again.

Barry paused for a moment till he was sure Len was asleep, then sighed, shaking his head. Leonard had no idea what was going on and he hoped he wouldn't find out like he was prone to do. He didn't want Leonard in danger. Too bad he was in too deep for that now. He watched Leonard for several minutes before his lips moved on their own, whispering. "I'm stuck in the dark, but you're my flashlight, you're gettin' me, gettin' me through the night…"

Those words couldn't be more true.

He just hoped he could defeat Zoom soon enough for those words to keep their meaning.


	5. Flowers

**_I should have took you dancing_**

 _ **A little candlelight romancing with roses**_

"Hey Barry." Leonard Snart murmured as he stood on the grass, a bunch of red roses in hand. "It's me. I...guess you knew that already. It's our anniversary today. I didn't really want to come here, but...my heart won out."

 ** _But I was high up on a barstool_**

 _ **Yeah, I was such a blind fool, now I know it**_

"I decided to change it up after our last anniversary disaster. Brought you some roses. Not my style, but red always looked good with you, Scarlet." He shook his head. "You know I didn't mean to come home drunk like that. I was just...angry. As you said, anger can make you blind to things. I was so blind to you."

 ** _You won't believe how much I've changed since you left_**

 _ **It took losing you for me to find myself**_

"I've got something to say Barry. I don't think you want to hear it, but try to listen to me, please…" Snart sighed, taking a breath in. "I know it's been a while, but I've been busy. Cleaning myself up. Trying to fix a lot of stuff that I broke. Shocker, huh? I bet Iris tells you a lot about it. Oliver too, probably. He's a good guy under all that muscle like you said. He offered me a place on his team and I think I might take it. I know he swings by more often than I do, but I hope to change that. Your public grave is swamped by the way."

 ** _Oh, I wish that you could see me, steady hands without the whiskey_**

 ** _You'd be so proud_**

 ** _Got that job down at the factory, a brand new suit for Sunday_**

 _ **And I'm in church now**_

 _ **It's been one year since I sat behind a bar**_

"It's been a year since I was behind a bar, Barry. I know to you it mustn't be that long, but it has. It was hard at first, without the alcohol, but I pushed through. I can fire Mick's flamethrower and my cold gun unaided now. I don't miss 9 times out of 10." He cleared his throat, shuffling his feet. "I also reused the suit I was going to use for our wedding. Lisa and Cisco got me into their local church. They said to say hi by the way. They'd make the trip up from Keystone, but with Lisa due any day now with baby number 4 and 3 kids under 10 years old, they have their hands full."

 _ **I went by the junkyard, and they've still got our car**_

"God, Barry." Leonard dropped to his knees, roses slipping out of his grasp and into the ground. "We shouldn't have gone out that night. We should have had dinner at home. This shouldn't have happened. I should have…" He clutched at his own arms, trying not to remember what happened that night.

 ** _I still see you on your knees, begging me not to drive_**

 _ **But I took away the keys and made you climb inside**_

 _"Lenny…" Barry whined as they got in the car. "Why couldn't we have just walked to the restaurant? It's not that far from our apartment. You've had wine as well, you shouldn't be driving"_

 _"Scarlet, you know it's pssing down rain, right? I don't have super speed like you do. I didn't want to be caught in the downpour and come out looking like a drowned cat." Leonard backed out of the carpark he'd parked in and started back towards his and Barry's apartment, stopping at a red light. "I've only had a sip or two, I'll be fine." Barry was about to protest when a car came speeding through the intersection, cleaning up several other cars beside them before hitting Leonard's car on his side, making them skid across the water slicked road like a puck on ice._

 _Leonard, being trapped and having hit his head on the steering wheel causing a concussion and a large cut on his forehead, could only watch as Barry checked to see if he was okay and babbling about 'saving other people' before zooming out to help. Suddenly, there was shaking and without warning, a big boom came from the pile up, smoke and flames billowing from the wreckage. Before Len could call out for Barry, a yellow streak of lighting being chased by a red streak went past, the blowout causing him to mercifully black out._

 _When Leonard woke up in hospital, Lisa was there, round with her second child, Manuel. When he asked where Barry was, she started balling her eyes out. Leonard started to rip out his IV's, hell bent on finding Barry when he was held down. After what seemed like an eternity, he learned what happened. Barry had disappeared completely. There was no trace of the Flash anywhere in the last two weeks that Leonard had been out for. Barry was gone._

 _ **And I'd take your place in this field of stone if I only had the power**_

 _ **Look what it took for me to finally bring you flowers**_

 _ **Lord, I'd take your place in this field of stone if I only had the power**_

 _ **Look what it took for me to finally bring you flowers**_

"Listen to me, Barry." Leonard choked out, fingers tracing the stone engraving of ' **Bartholomew** ' **Barry' Allen, 1989 - 2024. He was the light in a time of complete darkness. Loved by Joe, Henry, Iris, Wally and Leonard.** ' before he got up, dusting his knees of with a small sound in the back of his throat, keeping his tears at bay. He would cry when he got home, he didn't want to here. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I took you out that night. I should have listened to you when you wanted to stay home. I should of not pushed you just because I wanted to treat you for our anniversary."

 _ **Yeah, look what it took for me to finally bring you flowers**_

"I just...I want you to come home." Leonard shook, a tear streaking down his normally composed cheek. "Please, please just come back home. We need you. I need you. Come back home." Leonard begged the stone before turning away, moving to make his way out of the cemetery, the pain too much for him to bear right now.

He just kept hoping Barry would come home soon. However long it took him...he was always late after all.


	6. I Have No Soul

At first, Barry thought he was dying. He was only 12 years old when his wrist started hurting, burning like he'd lit his arm on fire. His yelling had startled Joe, only having been in his household for a few months, causing him to almost brandish his firearm as he ran into the living room before he saw Barry.

Panic subsiding only a little seeing Barry rather unharmed, he quickly gathered him up and took him to the kitchen, wetting a rag as he saw Barry's wrist under his hand was red and inflamed. Running the rag cooly over his wrist, Joe finally saw what had caused the child so much pain. A word. Well, four words to be precise. 'I have no soul' was splashed in fractured dark blue ink with a white hue on the skin of one of Barry's main veins in his arm a few inches away from his wrist, surrounded by red from the burning feeling of it emerging. He'd gotten his Soulmate mark.

Now, this was puzzling as children usually got their marks around 5 years of age, but Barry was always a late bloomer, Nora herself when she was alive would swear up and down it was Henry's fault and he'd just laugh, shrugging his shoulders at Joe who laughed back. Joe was brought out of his reverie by a sniffle and sighed, getting on one knee seeing Barry looking up at him, large eyes wet. "Looks like your Soulmate mark came in, son…"

Over the years, Barry's soulmark, those four little words, caused him a lot of feelings. Mostly indifference, sometimes pain, sometimes curiosity, but never love. At least, not yet. When he became a CSI, Barry elected to study about 'Soulmarks' as an extra credit elective so he could get his degree, but he was also curious.

The curious feeling had started to come in droves a few years ago when he was 16, when one day, his wrist stung bad. Looking down and rubbing away the concealer (he'd wore it only occasionally.), hew saw that the bottom of his soulmark was turning more whitish than it was in the last couple of years, trying in a vain attempt to blend in with his skin again. It had caused him a little panic, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He soon found out why when the lecture started on the history of it.

"In this day and age, children receive their soulmarks between the ages of 5 years to an extreme 18 years of age if late or undecided. The soulmark should appear on the part of the body that has the most contact with the soulmate's DNA and in the colour or colours that the soulmate prefers over others and vice versa." The lecturer droned on. "If the soulmate is injured badly enough, whether it be mental or physical or a combination of both, this can result in a condition known simply as 'faded', where a soulmate's name can mildly or severely fade into a soulmate's skin, a little lighter than the wearer's pigment."

Huh. Barry looked down under the table at his covered over appendage and felt sorry for his soulmate, though he'd never met them. With as much 'fading' as his mark had, they must have been either abused or hurt so bad they didn't really recover well. He didn't like to think that.

The lecturer cleared his throat seeing many students looking around and waited till everyone turned their attention back to him before continuing. "However, when a soulmate dies, it brings about extreme feels of sorrow and depression. It also results in burning, scarring or disappearance of the soulmate's name from the body completely. In rare cases, only a few thousand in the world alone, the soulmate's name will be rewritten with a new name after the previous soulmate passes."

Barry frowned at that statement. That sounded awful, the feeling that came with losing your soulmate. He'd seen it with his Dad, only vaguely however, but he'd seen it. There was more gray on his hair every time he came to visit him in Iron Heights and he seemed weighed down by heartbreak, though he smiled for Barry. He hoped he'd never go through it, he had too much of a big heart as it was. It only got bigger when he suddenly found himself zooming around in red tripolymer protecting his city from danger with people behind him that he loved.

When he'd first met Leonard Snart, the man who'd not stolen Cisco's cold gun, but used to for intimidation of others, he didn't know what to think. Snart was obviously dangerous and he only proved that when he took Cisco hostage with his brother Dante, but he also had let them go when he finally knew his name. The man known as 'Captain Cold' seemed to have not intended to hurt Cisco, nor Dante, but he wouldn't admit that even as he stood before Barry defiantly in the clearing they'd found themselves that night.

When Snart had boarded a train and taken it hostage, Barry trying to make him surrender, he scoffed. "I don't have any good in me, Flash." Snart growled at the red clad man, oblivious to how he looked at him. "I have no soul."

Barry almost doubled over in shock, sputtering before he finally choked out. "That's a lie."

In front of him, Snart literally froze, hand coming up to cup his right shoulder before reverting back to his "Captain Cold' persona, angrily trying to freeze him on the spot before jumping off, later making his getaway when Cisco came out of nowhere with the gayest vacuum cleaner Barry had ever seen.

More meetings had followed over the course of 2 years, Barry starting to become different around Snart by flirting instead of really fighting like he should be didn't help, then Snart had gotten in with the Legends gang and he hardly saw him at all.

He supposed that was normal, after all, though Barry could travel through time, he wasn't going to follow Snart on the hunch that he was in danger. He wasn't going to sink that low. He wasn't that desperate to see the man who obviously was his soulmate. He knew he knew too, but they didn't acknowledge it. Well, until Snart got injured that is.

Rip Hunter was to blame. Snart somehow had gotten in front of him during a fight in the 1960's, causing Snart to be shot badly by a futuristic weapon. Barry's soul almost fell off his wrist and though the floor to descend to hell when he got the call from Professer Stein that he was listed as Snart's emergency contact other than Lisa (like it should have been by now) or Mick (like he assumed it would have been if the day ever came).

He was rather relieved to find Snart with only a broken left arm and a bad graze that would heal over time and before he could stop himself, he threw himself on his good side, breathing out a "You're okay…" and rested his head on Leonard's shoulder. It was if the electricity that gave Barry his powers short circuited Snart because instead of pushing him off, he grabbed onto Barry's hand and wrist and squeezed it, a smirk on his face. 'Yeah, I'm okay, Scarlet."

Understandably, it took a while for both Barry and Leonard to accept eachother. In time, Leonard opened up, telling Barry of the horror that had happened to him, the abuse (Barry had been right and he tried not to feel sick at the thought), their mother leaving them to fend for themselves, the nights he spent up with Lisa, the hospital's questions, when he took Lisa and left at 16, the day he turned 18 and came back and burned down his own house, the joy and sadness of killing his father, all the darkness he had inside him.

Barry did the same as Leonard's broken heart was out on a limb and told him of all the good in the world, of summer vacations in Paris, afternoons with ice cream and laughter, of being a gay snob in Glee Club in America (he wasn't proud of that endeavor, but it got Leonard to laugh, which made it worth it), of being loved by more than one person, the heartbreak of losing both of them, the pain of seeing his father behind a piece of two inch thick glass. The efforts to understand each other's opposite didn't go unnoticed or unacknowledged and that was good.

They got married in the spring of 2021, when Leonard had slightly reformed, while Barry had become Head of Forensic Science at his precinct. They were both still the Flash and Captain Cold respectively, but only when needed.

Then Barry disappeared 3 years later. Snart couldn't handle it. The reason why? When Barry disappeared, his words did as well. His colours and sentence wiped from Leonard's shoulder like it was never there. He didn't tell anyone that however, convinced it was just a fluke, that it would come back and Barry was fine and the bastard was always late, so this was no different.

People tried to help, but the more time Barry didn't come back and the more Leonard realized it wasn't a dream that he'd disappeared, that the words had gone and he'd wake up with him next to him again wouldn't be a possibility, it did it's job.

Then, one day it happened. Leonard disappeared. No one could find him. Then they did.

Leonard Snart was found in the forest next to the interstate when he'd first come to known the man known as Barry Allen a month after he went missing, surrounded by alcohol bottles and holding a gun in his limp hand. A note that was scrunched up in his hand revealed a terrible truth that was coming, but no one wanted to believe.

 **'I have no soul….because he was taken from me. I'm coming, Scarlet. I'm coming to get you.'**


	7. Walk to Remember

/What a night.../ Leonard Snart groaned as he stumbled into his apartment compound hungover at 7:00 in the morning, pants missing, shirt ripped and one sock barely hanging on his right foot.

It wasn't the first time he'd walked home from a night out or one night stand if provided, but it was the first time he'd walked in this kind of condition with enough sufficient blackmail to warrant several comments from Mick when he got back, so he was almost glad no one was around to view him from an open window or door as he made his way to an elevator and pressed the buttons to open it.

Almost immediately as he walked in and the doors started to close, a sudden yelp was heard before a cacophony of footsteps and a hand suddenly shoved it's way in the door's trajectory, followed by a tall, lanky body that happened to trip over the elevator door seam with a loud squawk and failing arms, only to fall on top of Leonard as the doors closed fully and the elevator started to rumble upwards towards Leonard's floor.

Both of them groaned, his very close and personal companion from hitting his head on Leonard's chest and Leonard from the jarring of him hitting his chest and caused his already aching head to roll around, making it worse.

"Oh, god. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." The stranger suddenly started blabbing, obviously panicking. The doors were closing and I feel like crap so I just want to get home and…"

Leonard held out his free hand to stop him as his other tried in vain to silence the ringing in his head from hitting the elevator wall. "It's fine. You should just…" He looked up as he was saying it and felt like he couldn't breathe...that or he was in shock.

The stranger in front of him was tall, hell, he was a slight head higher than himself if you counted the hair...but his state of dress? Leonard won. All this stranger was wearing was a bunch of dirt marks, some Sharpie tattoos and drawings, the local baseball team, Central City Hornets, mascot plushie around his...nether regions and that was it except of the image on his forehead of...wait, was that…?

"Is that a swastika made out of dicks on your forehead?" Leonard struggled to keep in his laughter although it was hard and he almost cracked when the stranger's bright blue eyes bulged in shock and he quickly tried to find the nearest reflective surface in order to see exactly what he was talking about.

"Son of a...IRIS!" His half yell/half whine made Leonard start cracking, forgetting about his own state of dress as he had to sit down on the rumbling floor, howling as the stranger tried to glare at him...that just made him worse as it looked more like a puppy than the big scary effect it seemed he was hoping for.

"Are you quite done?" The stranger grumbled, red as a tomato as it was obvious he hated Leonard witnessing his humiliation. Leonard bit his lip to hold in his laughter and nodded, wheezing as he sat up. "Yep. Oh man, that was funny. You should have seen your face."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever…" The stranger pouted as he looked over Len, pausing to admire his tattoos that Leonard found you could see through the rips in his shirt before offering his hand. "Barry."

"Leonard." Len took the hand and shook it, letting go as Barry made his way beside him. "Let me guess, college party?"

"College alumini more like." Barry frowned. "I told my adoptive sister I didn't want to go, but she dragged me along anyway without my consent. You?" Leonard cracked a rare smile. "My sister got into a fight that escalated to the point where drunken me felt the need to step in." he flexed his hands as the felt his age kicking in and his whole body started aching along with his head. "My roommate's going to have a field day."

"Huh." Barry watched him in interest, blinking. "You don't seem to be the type to a have a roommate. I mean, I'm not trying to offend you or anything as you could probably beat me up, but-" "It's fine, kid." Leonard stopped him again, he really needed to do something about that rambling.

"Oh, right." Barry silenced after that, standing awkwardly in the corner till the elevator dinged one floor below Leonard's. Huh. "Your stop?" Leonard questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. That's a long shower and a long argument in my future." Barry popped the 'p' on the end, shaking his head as he exited, but turned in the doorway. "See you round?"

"See you round." Leonard nodded as the doors closed. He watched Barry walk down the hallway all wobbly before they finally shut and took him to his floor, him not even thinking about it much after a while when Mick coerced him into planning a heist.

* * *

He didn't expect to see the kid in the elevator again, but when the Flash arrived and he finally got to see his nemesis's face after knowing his name, it was exactly like that night.

He practically stopped breathing, taken back to the poor kid last year in disarray and couldn't help, but start laughing, balancing himself against a tree as Barry paused his super serious talk in this stupid clearing to glare at him. "What the hell, Snart? What's so funny?"

Snorting, Leonard couldn't look at him for several minutes before he was able to talk without pissing himself. "Go Hornets."

Barry looked at him confused before two seconds before he looked like he was hit by a two by four, rose red and almost stricken at whatever memory came back. Leonard howled again, making Barry glare at him with a fervor that could only be described as betrayal. Leonard could hear Cisco, the tech guy he'd captured to get this lead practically, prepping him with questions.

"Are you done yet?" Barry grumbled at him exactly like the morning in question, Leonard having to wipe his eyes as he came closer, smirk permanently affixed on his face.

"Come on Barry, don't want to tell your friends about our inside joke? That swastika was pretty well made." Leonard wriggled his eyebrows and Barry went even redder, both of them hearing a quawk in the background before more questions followed.

Leonard shrugged as he backed off, turning his back as he walked off on Barry as he started spluttering, looking for a retort or a way to answer his friend's questions...or both. "You...you!"

"See you round, Red!" Leonard grinned like a Cheshire cat as he walked off. "Try not to get naked this time without a purpose!"

It took all of Leonard's willpower to not burst out laughing when Barry tried to stop him on the train, but it was worth it. Really, honestly worth it.


	8. Don't Threaten Me With a Good Time

Now, usually, Barry wouldn't falter Cisco on his movie choices. He was always the best source to go to when a new film was out as either he'd already seen it or had background details that no one had bothered to research beforehand before buying their tickets, which was a good thing as he pretty much could tell if it was going to be a flop.

This was one of the times that Cisco's version of the 3 R's, being Rating, Research and Reading, had failed him.

Now, don't get Barry wrong, 'Gods of Egypt' was okay. It had nice graphics, okay characters and impressive costume and set design, but Barry didn't really like the storyline. It was sloppy, boring and didn't really hold his interest, it seemed when he looked around, others agreed.

That and had had suspected a long time ago that Cisco still hadn't moved on from Kendra leaving Central City with Carter to get her memories back, disappearing soon after and this whole movie was just Cisco reminding himself of her painfully that she just might not come back. He'd have to try and talk to him about that later, but right now, he just sat as the guy with the eyepatch started talking again.

About halfway though the movie, Barry found he needed to use the bathroom and made several hurried excuses as he passed other people while praising the Lord above for giving him a bladder as he was almost asleep from the movie's droning dialogue. He couldn't stand to be in there any longer.

Wandering around aimlessly till he found the toilets, he started to relieve himself when he had the feeling that he was being watched. He looked around him as he finished his business and washed his hands, but didn't know what hit him till it was too late.

A hand suddenly pulled him into an vacant toilet stall on his way out, pressing his body up against the wall before a much larger, heavier built body followed suit, grinding against him.

Barry was about to either speed off or scream for help, but the same hand that grabbed him suddenly clamped around his mouth.

"I don't think we need to yell at the moment Scarlet, anyone could walk in. I mean, there's a back row for that." The sly, annoying voice of Leonard Snart, aka, Captain Cold, drawled as he lifted extracted his hand from Barry's lips.

"Snart." Barry grit his teeth as the same hand started massaging his neck, trying not to lean into the touch like his body wanted to. "What do you want?"

"Easy, Scarlet, you don't have to be so mad. I know you missed me." Snart leaned in next to his ear. "I'm sorry I was away for so long. Chasing your own tail must have been boring."

"Yeah, well, you should have stayed away." Barry groused as he tried and failed to loosen Leonard's grip on him. "I have to go back into the theater, Cold. You're going to have to let me go before Cisco or Caitlyn comes out to try and find me."

"Oh, come now, why would I do that?" Leonard chuckled, turning Barry around to face him, back against the wall. "Why can't we have a little fun first?" He didn't wait for Barry to answer before he captured his mouth on his own, pinning him under his body and arms keeping his in place.

Barry practically /melted/ onto Snart and after a few moments started to kiss back, both of their pairs of hands grabbing onto bits of clothing as they made out behind the unlocked door of the cubicle."I...I have to…I have to go back in." Barry managed to get out between kisses, trying to push Snart off him. "Can't stay...can't stay in here."

"Alright…" Leonard sighed, actually sounding dejected as he pulled away, giving Barry space. "Go on. Go back to the boring movie." He blinked and was suddenly immersed in darkness. He seriously thought for half a second, Barry had managed somehow to knock him out, but when he felt his back collide with the back of a squeaking seat and his head with the wall behind him, he realized where he was.

Barry had flashed them from the stall in the bathroom, back though the theater and all the way to the back row in the darkest corner of the movie seating they had been watching, where no one could see them.

Snart was about to say something before Barry closed his mouth over his, pulling over to sit on his lap and cup his face as he did. Leonard made a strangled noise before his hands clasped down on Barry's legs, effectively holding him in place as they made out while the movie in front of them began it's ending, neither paying attention as the credits rolled.

By the time they came out, the movie had been over for half an hour, the next movie had started and Snart, the smug bastard, had left hickeys all over Barry's neck that would be purple for a little while still before his speed healing kicked in before he up and left like he was never there when Cisco finally rounded on him, Barry's face red raw as he started talking a mile a minute.

"Dude, where have you been? We've been looking everywhere since the movie ended and- wait a minute, hold up! Are those hickeys?!"

"...No?"


	9. Fire and Ice

"You have to get out of this lab sometime, Barry!" Iris protested to the CSI as he analyzed some fibers from a crime scene, spinning in a chair behind him after coming in to see her dad. "I will not allow you to rot in here for the rest of the year!"

Barry rolled his eyes, turning to Iris with test tubes in hand. "Iris, I need to be here. Besides, you were the one who wanted to go out with that guy you were seeing. What was it...Edward?"

"Okay, true. But Eddie can't go everywhere, Barry. He's busy doing important things." Iris draped herself over him. "I don't want to go alone. Please?" She gave him a doe eyed look that their dad Joe swore up and down that she'd learned from dogsitting puppies in high school for extra cash.

Barry took one look at her and glared hard at her for a full 2 minutes before he groaned, flattering and putting down the test tubes, grabbing his coat off it's hook next to the door. "Give me half an hour and no dancing."

"Yes!" Iris cheered in victory. "Thankyou, thankyou!"

"Yeah, yeah…" Barry grumbled, rather not happy about leaving work. "I still don't understand why I have to come with you to my literal hell. You could have easily taken someone else."

"Yes, I could have taken someone else to the nightclub…" Iris smirked. "But I wanted to ask you instead as Eddie couldn't."

Barry scoffed. "Iris, all you want to see is me, making an embarrassment of myself."

"Maybe...but you didn't say no." Iris shot back, to which Barry groaned again, flipping her off as he walked out of his precious lab.

* * *

He already hated it the moment he walked in the door.

The music was too loud, the whole place was filled with at least 5 variations of smoke and he felt like he was rather underdressed for this particular night scene. Especially when he saw half clad men and women around him moving to the dance floor as he searched for Iris.

Deciding to go for hip, not nerdy and werid, Barry was pretty sure he had failed when he caught a glimpse of himself in an bathroom mirror nearby. Being he still wanted to be at work and knew he couldn't show up in a lab coat, he'd forced himself into a tight pair of blue jeans, a gray undershirt, a plaid shirt thrown over it and a backwards baseball cap with his rarely used glasses on his face as the hazre he expected blinded him. He singlehandedly both embarrassed himself and most likely Iris, when she saw him, as well by just walking out the door. Great

Pushing through the crowd, he saw Iris across the way and tried to wave, bumping into a couple of people as he tried to make it to her and failed as he was dragged like a riptide into the dancing crowd, trying to see amongst the sweaty bodies around him as Iris unfortunately had disappeared from where he'd spotted her earlier. God, why did he agree to this again?

* * *

Little did he know as he was trying to swim though the bodies on the dancefloor, someone was watching him. Way up in the VIP section of the club, peering over the balcony at the slightly red faced and embarrassed speedster, was his nemesis Leonard Snart, aka Captain Cold.

Leonard had been coming to this club for years and had stolen something back for the owner who had ties to a few gangs in the area, hence why he was being waited on by scantily clad girls with the really good alcohol, to keep him quiet. He was going to milk it for all it was worth.

Wanting some fresh air and a break from all the perfume that was gagging him, he had taken off to the adjacent platform off the side from the VIP area for the smokers, breathing in stale air as he looked around for Mick to see if he was around.

Seeing him chatting up Iris West, however, surprised him. Iris West? Isn't that Barry's like, adopted owner? Because usually where Iris West was, he thought as he scanned the dance floor before finding the uncomfortable mess of flailing limbs trying to make it's way back to the front of the club, Barry was around. Tonight was obviously no exception.

Soon enough by happenstance, Barry looked up and their eyes met. He looked at him in confusion, so Leonard pulled down his sunglasses with a smirk, Barry's face looking both surprised and like a deer in the headlights when he recognised the face in front of him.

Inclining his head, Snart gestured towards the cordoned off stairs nearby the bar and turned his back to Barry, holding up two fingers to a girl who nodded and went off to get his order from behind the private bar. By the time he'd turned around, Barry was right next to him.

"What are you doing here?" Barry whispered harshly before the girl wobbled over and interrupted their conversation by handing Leonard two beers, one of them he passed to Barry before clinking it to his and taking a swig of his own as he chuckled.

"Did a favor for the owner of the place, this is my payment." Leonard swallowed the liquid as he talked, smirking at him. "Why? Jealous?"

Barry snorted, sipping his own alcohol, and wincing at the taste before glaring at him. "You escaped from jail, again. I should be handing your ass back in personally -" "- And yet, you can't touch me here." Leonard said smugly, earning an even more intense, but adorable look from Barry before he grumbled and took another swing of his own beer, leaning over the balcony.

Leonard sighed, pulling an arm around Barry and holding him close as he snuggled into his chest. "I just...I don't know how much longer I can do this for, Len…' Barry spoke after a while as the music died down a fair bit. "Everytime you slip up, I'm always putting you back in jail and then as so as I leave, you escape again. The more you escape, the more sentences and warrants you're going to get till they find out again."

"I know, I know…" Leonard grumbled himself, carting his fingers through the back of Barry's hair on his neck. "I'm trying, Red, believe me. It's hard. I've been stealing things to get by my entire life, you can't expect me to go cold turkey."

"Yeah, I guess I can't." Barry shook his head as Leonard finished talking, eyes wandering. "I mean, that's what makes you, well, you. But please, just try not to get into big enough heists that require my attention, okay?"

"Done." Leonard nodded, feeling Barry chuckle against his chest as he spoke. "Good, cause for a second there -" Barry suddenly stilled and Snart's hairs stood on end. "Barry, are you alright?" Leonard asked cautiously as Barry rose from his position. Leonard could also swear Barry's eyes flashed with lighting as a thunderous murderous expression clouded his face before he sped off.

Leaping over to the balcony, Leonard watched wide eyed as a red and yellow blur sped down the stairs, though the bar and snatched Mick up from where he was about to actually kiss Iris West at one of the louges decorating the bar, disappeared outside a moment later before coming back in and dumping Mick at Leonard's feet, kissing Leonard on the cheek as he passed to go back to Iris.

Chuckling, Leonard laughed loudly at MIck as he got up and limped away after his ass-whooping to go chat up another girl at the private bar, shaking his head as he saw Barry leading an obviously rather intoxicated Iris towards the entrance, one arm holding her up while the other assisted her walking with a smile on his face.

Oh yeah, the kid was totally a keeper.


	10. Death of a Bachelor

"Len, Leonard, no." Barry stumbled into a table as his boyfriend Captain Cold, aka Leonard Snart dragged him though the country estate they were currently occupying via Iris and Eddie's wedding reception. "We have to go back to the reception, I have to go do my speech, we don't have time for -"

Leonard shushed Barry with a finger to the lips and a smirk, pulling them behind a corner as another couple passed by them, before turning back to Barry, looking quite out of his element in his navy blue suit and tie. "There is always time. You're a fucking speedster. We'll be fine, we just have to go somewhere out of view..."

Trailing off, Leonard's dirty smirk grew wider seeing an abandoned coat closet in the hallway just past the stairs they were hiding out in, looking around to the door, the doors leading to the ballroom where the reception was and canvassing the area like the thief he was rather carefully before dragging Barry the 3 feet between them and throwing him inside, following...well, suit.

"Leonard!" Barry hissed, red tie choking his neck and ink black tuxedo wrinkled beyond belief. "We can't stay in here! They'll hear us as they're passing b and I have to go do my best man speech in five minutes! Can't your dick wait for a while?"

"Can my dick wait?" Leonard sad slowly, cramping up Barry's last bit of personal space with every word. "Can't it wait?" His breath ghosted Barry's neck in the dark, making the speedster's knees go weak as he spoke again, a possessive tone in Leonard's voice.

"No. It can't wait. You know why?" Lips brushed his neck as he spoke. "Because I don't want to and I don't care what you or anyone in this stupid place thinks. Do you know how it felt?"

Barry squeaked as a hand brushed the front of his trousers. "Do you know how it felt, watching all the girls looking at you as you walked Iris down? Wishing you were theirs, not knowing that you were taken, trying to impress you and get your attention?" Teeth suddenly bit down, causing Barry to jump, hitting his head hard on the top of the closet.

There were several more in succession afterwards, each one harder than the last and leaving Barry panting by the time Leonard came back to his mouth, hand now underneath his suit pants and creeping slowly towards his underwear. "You're mine, Barry. Say it."

"I'm yours." Barry whispered, writhing underneath Leonard's touch, redder than his suit. He heard a rumble from Leonard's chest, obviously quiet laughter, before the voice came back to his ear. "Louder."

"I'm yours." Barry grit though his teeth rather loud, but it earned him Leonard's lips finally and the two tore at eachother's throats, Barry's back against the wooden paneling and tongues dancing, the latter trying to get on top of the other, fighting.

This scene of muffled moans, buttons flying and hand grabbing would have lasted a long longer, had it not be for the timely arrival of Cisco Ramon.

More to the fact, the timely arrival of the Cisco Ramon, Eddie Thawne and the newly crowned Mrs. Iris Thawne pulling open the doors to their hiding spot and consequently, making them suddenly fall out on top of eachother in confusion.

Barry, now exposed to the light, had a long series of dark purple hickeys on his neck that the collar of his shirt barely covered up, his skin a shade only found in garden tomatoes and belt loosened with his underwear peeking out, while Snart's suit was torn at the sleeve on his left side, several buttons on the front missing and flower in his suit pocket crushed beyond saving. Goddamnit.

"Oh, boom! Caught red handed!" Cisco crowed loudly in triumph, almost reflecting the expression of a cat that had caught a bird and holding an outstretched hand towards Eddie. "Cough it up, Thawne. I told you!"

Eddie growled unhappily before producing a wad of bills, handing them over to the pleased tech genius and shook his head as he surveyed the two on the floor in front of him. "I just...I don't want to know, but seriously, at our wedding, man?"

Barry floundered for something to say, before finally somehow managing to put on an embarrassed smile. "Uh...he was jealous?"


	11. Back In A Flash

So. Date night.

Just Leonard and Barry.

Barry and Leonard.

All alone, for a night.

To normal people, that wouldn't sound as good as it did, but when you are both superheroes and constantly never in the same time period for more than a few hours, it was kinda the best fucking thing ever.

Hence the rare smile on Leonard's face as he lead his skinny boy toy into 'Saints & Sinners'.

Barry had to smile as well, as it was rare to see Len smiling, usually keeping up his Captain Cold persona so people, including criminals and police alike, wouldn't mess with the man who claimed to own Central City at one point. He had a reputation to uphold.

It was great, at first. Catching up, french fries by the basketful suddenly appearing out of nowhere, the alcohol running through their veins (thankyou Caitlin), the white noise. It was perfect. Unfortunately, too perfect.

Currently, since Leonard still was a criminal at heart, he had been spotted by someone he had regular dealings with and unfortunately had to leave Barry on his own at his booth with a kiss on the cheek, promising to be back soon.

That lead to this moment where, backed up against the booth, Barry was practically being accosted by a rather drunk Hartley Rathaway. To be more specific, prodigal son and ex-boyfriend fo Cisco Ramon, former S.T.A.R Lab employee and former master criminal and now part of Leonard's Rogues gang Hartley Rathaway.

Hartley, being affected by probably not as much as half the alcohol running though Barry's system, had thrown himself at Barry's mercy, cheeks red and eyes starry and /flirting/.

Barry just smiled calmly, internally fighting the urge to take off for the high hills or at least, find Leonard in this goddamn place as Hartley hovered, gloved hands trying to snatch him up.

He tries his best to rebuff Hartley's attempts with an ' **Oh, sorry, Hartley, buddy, but you know I have a partner. Can't really do much about that.** ' and also ' **You know, I don't think your boss might be too happy with you wanting to go out with the enemy, may be you should try one of the Rogues or something?** ', but clearly, Hartley was having none of it.

Of course, it reaches the point to where he feels so uncomfortable and he's blushing and embarrassed and he's about to run out of there and save himself the trouble of faking to be interested in order to escort Hartley back home to his parents, when he spots a pair of familiar ice cold, laser focused eyes from across the other side of the room sitting on Hartley's wobbling figure and their table.

He doesn't know why his body suddenly reacts like it did, but it seems Leonard (though their…*cough* mutual contact) has passed some of his way of thinking into him, because no sooner has Barry's body suddenly become rigid with anticipation and his face suddenly splitting into a manic grin, Leonard is towering over Hartley's form, obviously furious.

" **Speaking of which, here they are right now.** "

It takes the cue of Barry's calm, but well intended words for Leonard to move swiftly, a grip crackling like sprinted ice as he suddenly picked Hartley up, collar and all before moving him outside. There is the sound a hard surface being hit on several times, most likely by Leonard, but Barry couldn't care less as the blood rushed down south after seeing the aforementioned man come back inside the now partly quiet bar.

If Barry was more drunk, he would most likely say something rather stupid to dictate his feelings, but his mouth suddenly works for him and he's suddenly whining. /Whining./

" **Len…! I wanted to have some fun, not hurt people!** "

" _ **Fun, huh, Scarlet?**_ " It takes all of two seconds, but suddenly Barry squeaked as he too, was hoisted up, but instead of his collar, he ended up body over Leonard's broad shoulder, ass in the air and being carried out like a dead sack of weight, not even caring half the bar is watching this whole thing unfold, most in shock.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see a barkeep grudgingly paying a customer, the obvious smile indicative of winning a well placed bet.

" ** _We'll go make our own fun._** " Leonard smirked before leading the red clad man into the cold night air, disappearing from view.

They were never heard from again that night.


	12. Happier With You

I saw you today. I didn't expect to, obviously, since I came here on my own date, but didn't expect for you to show up here with yours.

I see Iris has an wedding band on her finger.

Guess you went though with that. Congratulations.

If only my chest didn't hurt like you shunted an icicle though it and I could still hear Lisa, maybe I could pretend I never saw you.

* * *

Not so lucky as I hoped.

* * *

I came here, because Lisa wanted me to get out of the safe house. A first.

I did it just to please her, but I had hoped that during...never mind.

It doesn't matter to you anymore.

I can see you aren't thinking about me just by the look on your face.

* * *

You look...happier with her, Red. I have to say that, just from watching you over here.

You look happier that I think I've ever seen you, even in this city of ours.

Seems everyone is happier nowadays. Lisa, Mick, Ms West, you…

Or is it Mrs Allen now? Or Allen-West? I don't fucking care.

* * *

The truth is Red, that, I never got over you.

I hurt you bad because I was selfish and I know it.

I knew then as well. I figured that I was doing what was best.

How was I supposed to know I'd get killed?

* * *

But now, now someone else has you. I came back too late to claim your heart again.

Mick warned me, you know. Before him and his posse of 'heroes' dropped me off.

He warned me not to come storming back into your life now.

That things had changed since I've been away. I didn't believe him, at first.

* * *

You didn't realize though, that even after my heart broke, I was still here.

* * *

I left those roses for you that you gave to her.

I brought all those marshmallows in your pantry, not her.

I fixed the wiring in S.T.A.R Labs, not Ramon.

I did everything, for /you/. I even died for you.

* * *

But I can see the world moves on, even with all these sacrifices I have made, to end up back by your side where I thought, for a long time before, that I belonged.

Guess I was wrong.

Basically what I'm saying is Red, is that while you may be happier with her,

I was happier with just you.


	13. Supermarket Flowers

**I took the supermarket flowers from the windowsill  
I threw the day old tea from the cup**

Barry couldn't believe he was here right now. Only moments ago, it seemed, he was at the hospital, but that had been days ago. Almost a week, but time it seemed, hadn't slowed down, even for the Flash as he had found himself on the steps of his childhood home.

It felt so much different now to him, almost foreign in a way, but that was because the life that used to be inside of it as gone.

 **Packed up the photo album** Matthew **(Iris) had made  
Memories of a life that's been loved**

It seemed that Wally got here before him, judging by the boxes already strung around the place as he had entered, as well as the dead flowers and old ginger beer bottle on top of the bin and teacups in the sink. He had also left some mess in his wake, most likely because he didn't want to be there as much as him, him having to pick up some photo albums that Iris obviously put together a long while ago that had fallen out of one, gently stacking them back up into a pile like they were made of gold before having to let his eyes wander, heart aching.

He had heard Wally say that after the funeral he was going to help his stepmother with packing up the house. Cecile said it was just too painful to live there right now and look around, seeing Jenna as a little girl and hearing a laugh that made her cry.

Barry understood at that moment how it felt, being there right now.  
The truth was there, he just...didn't want to admit it.

 **Took the get well soon cards and stuffed animals  
Poured the old ginger beer down the sink**

The place was a mess, but he guessed since nearly all of them, him, Jenna, Iris, Wally and of course, Cecile hadn't left St. Andrews Hospital for almost a week beforehand, he doubted that it was supposed to look this way.

He decided that, since he was here in the first place, due to a lot of protest on his part, that he'd clean it up a little. Cecile would appreciate it most likely. The cards were the first to go. Get Well cards strung on the table of the dining room in all shapes, colors and sizes.

Their cheesy well wishes and get betters made Barry's heart break even more than it was already, but also made him angry that none of them were heard, no matter how many there was. The stuffed animals as well, something Cisco or Harry had decided to get out of a kind gesture (he couldn't remember which) also went. They didn't matter, it was just material ina shape. They didn't help what had happened.

Dad **(Mum)** **always told me, "Don't you cry when you're down"  
But** mum **(Dad), there's a tear every time that I blink**

Joe. Joe had passed away.

The old man, who Barry loved like a father, even calling him Dad long after Henry had been taken from him, had lived long enough to see Nora, his young daughter, get married, but at the reception, complained he was feeling sick. Barry thought he was fine and watched as Cecile took him home, not knowing it would be one of the last times he'd see him again.

 **Oh, I'm in pieces, it's tearing me up, but I know  
A heart that's broke is a heart that's been loved**

The next few days, after the reception and Nora had gone on her honeymoon, Joe was still ill, but seemed to be getting better. Then...then in the middle of the night, as he was sleeping, he just had a heart attack. He never woke back up after that.

 **So I'll sing Hallelujah**  
 **You were an angel** in the shape of my mum **(and I know I've been loved)**

Barry should have seen it and it killed him inside, remembering Cecile's cries on the phone before he raced to the hospital, not believing it till he saw all the machines fighting to keep Joe alive and knowing he could do nothing but wait, holding Cecile's tiny, grayed form close to him as he fought not to shake him awake and make the nightmare he was just thrown into end.

 **When I fell down you'd be there holding me up  
Spread your wings as you go, when God takes you back  
He'll say, "Hallelujah, you're home."**

He was pulled out of his memories by the sound of the kitchen window squeaking, bringing back the fact that Joe was never coming home again. He hated how the house seemed to mock him at this point, but he had promised Iris to go get some of Joe's old belongings for both her and himself before everything was either moved, put into storage or removed.

Cecile wouldn't mind, he knew that at least.

 **I fluffed the pillows, made the beds, stacked the chairs up**  
 **Folded your** nightgowns **(old suits) neatly in a case**

After finally getting rid of all the cards and placing the now full box near the bin, he quietly made his way upstairs to Cecile and Joe's bedroom, dry throat swallowing at the confronting room. Cecile it seemed, had already cleared out the closet, so Joe's suits were over on his side of their bed. Iris had specifically wanted them, not really for herself, but for when Nora had her own children or her twin, Nathan, needed something formal, so he started packing them up, using one of Joe's old suitcases as a box.

John **(Len)** says **(said) he'd drive then put his hand on my cheek**  
 **And wiped a tear from the side of my face**

Just as he was finishing up, he felt the stairs creak and looked up at see his husband, Leonard Snart, standing at the door, a sad smile on his face as he saw him and walked over. Barry didn't know he was crying until Leonard's hand wiped away a tear on his cheek.

 **I hope that I see the world as you did 'cause I know  
A life with love is a life that's been lived**

" _Hey Red, how you holdin' up?_ "

 **So I'll sing Hallelujah**  
 **You were an angel** in the shape of my mum **(and I know I've been loved)**

 _"I...I don't know anymore._ " How could he not know? He should have felt something, but...he felt nothing. He was numb, it seemed.

 **When I fell down you'd be there holding me up  
Spread your wings as you go, when God takes you back  
He'll say, "Hallelujah, you're home."**

He didn't like that feeling. Surely by now, he should have figured it out. Wasn't it obvious? He knew that was a stupid question, but Barry just had to answer it, he felt compelled to. " _I feel like I want to cry, but...I just also can't._ "

 **Hallelujah, you were an angel** in the shape of my mum ( **and I know I've been loved)**

Len, surprisingly, just nodded, knowing Barry most likely still needed time to process everything. It had been hard since Joe had died to really get a word out of him these days, but he wasn't going to give up. He knew Barry losing people he loved was hard.

" _Do you want some help to pack up anyways, Red?_ " Len asked, watching Barry as he just stood there after letting him go. Usually he'd be back to doing whatever task he had been in the middle of automatically, but instead Barry looked like his walls he was obviously holding up suddenly collapsed and dove at him, burying his face away in his chest and sobbing.

" _I just-I just want him to c-c-come back Len. I just want m-m-my Dad to come back..._ "

 **You got to see the person I have become**  
 **Spread your wings and I know that when God took you back  
He said, "Hallelujah, you're home."**

" _It's alright Red, it's alright. I got you, baby._ " Leonard said, gentler than he had ever been in his entire life as he sank to his knees with his husband, the mighty hero, The Flash, as he reduced himself to a sobbing, trembling mess, holding him tightly as he cried out the loss of the man he had loved almost his whole life.

A man that would never be forgotten.


	14. Criminal Mastermind (CatchMeIfYouCanAU)

He had him. He almost had him! Special Agent Bartholomew Allen almost wanted to tear his own hair out in reflecting from the events that had happened during the day as he sat in his FBI office, trying to figure out how Leonard Snart had slipped though their hands undetected again.

It seemed so stupid that one man could cause such a reaction of frustration, but, Leonard Snart had been the undivided, attention seeking, pain in the backside of the bank fraud department of the FBI for several years now. The man was an enigma, an annoying one and that's what drew Allen to his case and to him, professionally and personally.

Born in the 70's in a small town called 'Central City', Leonard Micheal Snart was a troubled kid, father was abusive, mother was an alcoholic and his little sister was also abused. Eventually, one day, Leonard just packed it all in after he found out that his mother had been having an affair behind their back while his father was sent to jail for theft and money laundering. Unable to take it, he abandoned his sister and his mother and decided to live on the lam with what money he had, part of it being sent to an account his parents had made for Lisa when she was 18. If there was a thing he cared about in the world, it was her.

It was pretty cut and dry at first, but eventually, as all people do, Leonard ran out of money.

However, Leonard was smart. Bartholomew knew this. That's how the FBI started tracking him in the first place. Leonard decided that he needed a better way out of his money situation. So, in a bid to make himself some more money to continue his lifestyle, Leonard Snart had to go. For now. Somehow, by sheer luck, a thrift store he was passing by was selling a pilot's uniform. It was perfect. He used the last of the money he had buying it and getting the other supplies needed for the con to make his move.

That move cost the U.S. Government a hefty 2.8 million dollars as Leon Cold, a pilot flying for Pan Am and born in Montrichard, France, just like Leonard's mother before him, forged the checks to ensure he would be paid for a job he never even done before. It also alerted his department that something was up.

It was not the first, not the last time that Leonard Cold had impersonated someone however, given his background. In interviews with Leonard's mother, sister and people, including his best friend Micheal Rory, he found that Leonard had a long history of impersonation, starting from high school where he impersonated a French substitute teacher in his class before dropping out the next year, not even earning his GED.

Back in the present, once Leonard got wind of the fraud department looking in on him, he had to switch up his tactics. It was the first time that Bartholomew met Snart that would stick into his brain for years to come, as Leonard managed to pull a quick one of him then escape.

They had managed to intercept a tip that Snart was at a hotel in Athens, Ohio. When they barged into the room however, Bartholomew was taken aback by the stunning blue eyes and sculpted cheekbones of the man inside, who calmly put his hands up and said (in a voice that rolled down Bartholomew's shoulders) that he as well, was also one of them.

Bartholomew had no reason to question him, or what looked like another man being arrested and taken into custody by individuals looking like the local police outside the window. So he had let him get away, which, of course, he realized a second later, cursing at himself and those stupid blue eyes before flooring it and giving chase.

Snart, however, was long gone. Bartholomew honestly didn't know how to deal with that in the weeks that passed from the incident, the whole thing going around in his head like otters in a pond. He didn't think they would find Snart again till after the New Year at this rate.

What he wasn't expecting was his phone to ring on Christmas while he was filling out paperwork (the joys of being the youngest agent in his field and department) and to be answered with his "Hello?" with a surly laugh.

"Well, hello Agent Allen. Didn't expect to hear your voice so late." Bartholomew, frowning, looked at the phone on his desk in confusion.

"Sorry, who is this?"

"Oh come now Agent Allen…" The voice sounded like ice, smooth and calm, words practically rolling off the tongue that possessed them.

"You don't remember me? We met at the hotel." Then it all came flooding forward. "Snart." Bartholomew grit his teeth. "Leonard Snart."

"You're faster than I thought, hotshot." The older man laughed, sounding quite triumphant.

"I don't what the hell you think you are playing at-"

"Look, Hotshot, I get that you are mad about me duping you…"

"I am more than mad, but if you try to apologize, I swear to god-"

"Aw, Hotshot." Leonard almost sounded disappointed then, sour. "Why can't you just let me have my fun?"

"Because-" Bartholomew almost bit his tongue clean off, blood boiling. "Your 'fun' as you put it, is illegal and reckless."

There was a snort on the end of the line before Leonard's voice came back.

"Of course you would say that. I thought you were a fraud investigator Hotshot, not the fun police."

"Snart, you are going to be caught. You know it. We both do." Bartholomew was holding the handset so tight in his grip.

"No matter what you do, where you go, I'm going to be the one to capture you, Snart. You can count me on that."

"Oooh." His voice was vicious, grinning, like it was a challenge.

"Fine, Hotshot, you do that. I can't promise you I'll be a team player though."

That's when Bartholomew realized something and couldn't stop a laugh coming out. "Oh, now I get it."

"Get what, Allen?" Snart seemed to be genuinely curious, which made Bartholomew laugh harder than before.

"Leonard, you are calling me on Christmas Eve of all times, because I just realized, you have no one else to call, but me."

Bartholomew wheezed, hearing the voice go silent on the end.

It was dead quiet for several minutes and if it wasn't for the upset, angry breathing on the end of the line, Bartholomew would have assumed he had hung up.

"Anyways, Merry Christmas Snart." Bartholomew grinned. "I'll be seeing you soon."

He dropped the phone back into it's cradle on his desk with a smirk on his face and went back to the paperwork, chuckling to himself.

"Middle Aged Fraudster Taken Down By Young Agent, good story line. Wonder if Iris would like it…"


	15. Walk Me Down The Middle

This was perfect. Amazing. Best plan he'd ever come up with in years.

Well, sans a heist or two of course with Mick. Still, best plan ever.

Leonard Snart had a smirk on his face that was two seconds away from turning into a shit eating grin by the time the West's annual Christmas party started to wind down into the night after dinner, nervous behind the facade, but delighted as well when Cecile announced to the party ( **and possibly the whole neighborhood, since she was a little heavy on the bottle due to Jenni being weaned for a month or so now** ), that it was time to hand out presents.

Honestly, he couldn't sit down anymore on the edge of the sofa when they all trampled into the living room, Barry between his spread legs as Joe played Santa, starting to hand out the presents all around. The man, of course, was completely in on the plan from the start, as Leonard both valued his life and had to get his permission.

Call him a criminal and a stone cold asshole, but he was anything, but not giving career cop and Detective Joe West the heads up that his adopted child was ( **hopefully** ) getting engaged to a thief. It wasn't the greatest talk that he'd ever had ( **considering that they never really talked at all** ), but it was in place.

All he had to do was wait.

Iris had gotten a pair of feather earrings, a whole new set of pens and from him and Barry, an expensive, but immaculate and rather old white and gold typewriter ( **that he had NOT STOLEN thankyou Joe, stop giving him the stink eye** ), while Wally had gotten a watch invented by Cisco to track his speed and other vitals while with the legends ( **preloaded with Barry's records, just in case** ) and a thermal water bottle and gloves.

( **Why a speedster such as Wally even /needed/ gloves, he wasn't sure, but damn that kid's smile was everything.** )

Cecile on the other hand, had gotten most of the stuff for Jenna, as well as a few bottles of her favorite red and white complete with policeman outfits ( **The lipstick on Leonard and Barry's cheeks would never come off. Never.** ), while Joe had gotten a limited edition beer from somewhere in Louisiana or something, a couple novelty beer openers, a apron that read 'Kiss The Cook' ( **which was promptly thrown into Wally's tear streaked and howling face** ) and a sexy policeman costume.

( **Obviously perfect for him, given the absolute look of disdain and pure offense he was giving him and his adopted son, who by now was on his side, red in the face from laughter.** )

Finally, after auxiliary ( **yes, he was calling them auxiliary, because at this point, Barry's friends were more distractions than people he was so on edge** ) gifts had been handed out and enjoyed, deliberately, Barry was the last.

Leonard honestly was okay with the fact that he would have to wait longer, because Barry's happiness was worth watching in motion. It was just what had drawn him to the youngest, better than himself man in the first place.

He knew every look, every smile, every freckle on his body ( **well, almost** ) and he just wanted to have that for as long as he could. Preferably, in the next 5 minutes or so, for forever.

After a watch ( **exactly the same as Wally's, mind you and YES CISCO, I CAN TELL, IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT COLOR SCHEME** ), new fingerprint brushes from Caitlin, money from Joe and Cecile ( **and Jenna, because, she somehow still counted as part of** **Cecile despite being her own person, abet a very small person** ) and a few t-shirts and socks from Iris, there was only one gift left in the pile.

It was the largest of them all, wrapped in blue paper covered in snowflakes.

"Well, I guess I know where this came from." Barry chuckled, making Leonard want to roll his eyes into the back of his head as everyone else (except for Joe) laughed, but sweating bullets too much to do so as he started to open it, only to find...another box.

Then another.

Then another.

Then another.

"Okay, Len, what the hell is this?" Barry's eye was starting to twitch.

"Nothing, just keep going." Was all he said as he opened the box again.

To another box.

Then another.

Leonard swore that Barry's annoyance was in full effect, given that by the time he reached the very last box, his nostrils were sucking in and breathing out air like a hippo.

"Leonard Micheal Snart, I swear to god…!

He cut himself off as the black box came into view, shoulders snagging and eyes wide as the present slid onto the ground, upturned out of his hands.

Now was where Leonard took over.

Chuckling, he got down on one knee ( **to the squeals of Caitlin and Iris and the 'Oh shit!' from Cisco in the corner** ) and picked the box up, snatching the black box which barely fit in the palm of his gloved hand.

"Okay, so I get that you were really annoyed right now…" Leonard smirked as the man beside him was (obviously) trying not to burst into tears in front of his whole family ( **he could see a camera out of the corner of his eye, most likely Iris** ) as he just looked at him wordlessly.

"But-" Leonard resumed his speech again. "I couldn't find a way to surprise you better than for you to be caught completely off guard, because I need the attention, not you." That made everyone laugh, including Barry as he wiped at his now dripping eyes.

"So, I'm gonna ask, in front of all these people-" Leonard opened the box. "Will you give me the privilege of me kicking your ass in Foosball every single day for the rest of your life?"

Barry laughed so hard at the next line, but was also too distracted by the ring to answer him completely. It was beautiful. It was a gold ring, with a square shaped bright white diamond in the middle, surrounded by yellow citrines and deep red rubies. It was perfect.

"Yeah." Was what he said when he found his voice. "Yeah, I want to." Leonard couldn't help himself and crashed his lips into Barry's as cheers and whistles filled the room, stopping only to slip the sparking circle onto his boyf-, no, -fiance's finger, before resuming.

If Leonard had his way also later on when Christmas was finally over, there was going to be winter wedding bells in the future.

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	16. Happy Hour

Honestly, Leonard shouldn't have been so surprised that Barry had his own alcohol. After all, the man seemed to burn though the normal stuff quicker than a match on sandpaper, so naturally, he just thought that the kid was intolerant to everything flammable and with words like 'proof' and 'danger' labeled on them.

Whoever, he had to admit that Snow did a really good job with whatever she had handed to his boyfriend to consume, since it had turned him from normal mode at a sloppy, messy sexualized mode Leonard had never seen Barry be, ever. EVER.

He had continued (due to Snow asking) to watch over (perv) on his partner as he made a fool of himself, dancing on tables, the bar and eventually pulling him outside when he was about to get into a fight with some rough looking guys he'd stumbled upon and just watched, trying not to laugh as he spun around in the carpark so fast that he fell into a snowbank.

Pulling him up as a breeze of course, since he could bench at least 300 easily and let's face it, Barry as light as fuck anyways (honestly, he didn't know where the younger man put all the food he was eating, or how Joe even fed him as a kid), so it didn't take much to get him up and push him into his motorcycle.

When they pulled into the garage of their apartment block, he sighed. Home was a word that was never in his vocabulary as a child, but now it was much more settled in than before. Honestly, if he were truthful, he was looking forward to taking Barry upstairs before crashing, having had a few drinks himself, when he received a text from Cisco.

La Cucaracha: **Hey, are you at your place yet?**

Frosty Boi: _Yes. Why? What did you do? Did you touch something?_

La Cucaracha: **Chill, dude. Literally.**

La Cucaracha: **You remember what Barry did to me, right? At Christmas?**

Oh, how could Leonard forget, a snort finding its way from his throat at the memory of poor, pathetic Francisco running around the West household looking for milk as Barry managed to spike his hot chocolate with hot sauce. Seemed the pranks were endless between the two.

Speaking of pranks:

Frosty Boi: _What did you do and how much do I have to clean up?_

La Cucaracha: **Nothing major. Just went through your office a bit**

Frosty Boi: _How much is 'a bit', Ramon?_

La Cucaracha: **Okay, a lot, but it's not bad, I promise.**

La Cucaracha: **I just needed to get him back and I thought this would be the best way.**

Frosty Boi: _And what, pray I even dare ask, is this 'best way'?_

* * *

He was honestly shuddering at the thought as he waited for a reply.

* * *

La Cucaracha: **It's all set up. The room looks like it's from the 1920's.**

La Cucaracha: **Me and Cait just went ahead and took all the electronics out.**

La Cucaracha: **(Don't worry, we only put them in your bedroom)**

La Cucaracha: **Set it up with some old books and a typewriter and boom!**

La Cucaracha: **He'll think he's drunk himself back in time.**

La Cucaracha: **All you have to do is lock him in there in a pair of handcuffs and we're good**

Frosty Boi: _..._

Frosty Boi: _That is honestly the most stupid idea I've ever heard._

Frosty Boi: _How long do I have to leave him in there?_

La Cucaracha: **However long it takes him to escape.**

Frosty Boi: _Fine, but I'm telling him when he gets mad, it was all your doing._

Leonard frowned and shook his head as him and his drunken and barely awake arm candy fell into the elevator and wen up to their floor, Leonard practically dragging the younger male behind him as he unlocked their door and pushed him inside.

Taking barely conscious Barry with him (ha, Barely Conscious Barry, sounded like a tongue twister almost), he quietly opened the door to their shared office and had to blink in surprise.

They had gone all out.

As promised, they had an ancient, but workable looking typewriter, the desk had been replaced with a much more worn looking wooden one, the bookshelves instead of holding Barry's medical texts were lined with the yellowing pages of books in various sizes, some with hand sewn spines or peeling and others with felt or something covering them.

There was writing paper directly next to the typewriter and also, a quill with an ink pot holding them in place, a rug on the ground covering most of the wood flooring that made up their apartment. A old newspaper, marking the date as 1925, sat in top of the typewriter keys.

It was a rather large effort for one little prank, but Leonard really didn't care much.

So, as Cisco had asked, he put the tall and rather lanky CSI into the old wooden and green velvet chair and handcuffed one of his wrists to it, kissing him on the head and leaving him alone and locking the door behind him as he moved downstairs.

Taking his place on the couch, he settled in to wait.

Looking up at the ceiling, he didn't have to wait long before he heard shuffling and banging and all sorts of noise that would be consistent in Barry waking up and positively freaking the fuck out. This notion, coupled with the fact he could hear his plight, made him laugh.

Hard.

For twenty agonizing (on Barry's part), but hilarious (Leonard's and Cisco's part no less) minutes, Leonard just kept laughing himself to death as the noises continued, muffled curse words following them that made him laugh more.

He knew, just KNEW that Ramon was most likely taping all of this from where he'd hidden a camera (or five as it turned out) and couldn't wait to see the footage. Even if the guy rubbed him the wrong way (it literally took his sister to convince him he wasn't so bad, though he still had his doubts).

Not too soon after that train of thought left his head, a red blur suddenly shotgunned itself from the stairs and with a sudden loud bang, hit the wall beside the TV and slid down with a loud, obnoxious squeaking noise, revealing the aforementioned man of the hour, still dressed and eyes ablaze in anger, the broken half his pair of handcuffs hanging limply on his arm.

Rising up as Leonard just howled with laughter on the couch, he glared at him, fire burning in his veins as he suddenly spoke, words still slurred a bit. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

'Hey, this wasn't my idea." Leonard protested, shaking his head though the bouts of laughter. "Blame Ramon, he broke in and insisted to do it. For Christmas he said."

"Are you kidding me!? I thought I was in 1925!" Barry looked like he had weathered a small storm now Leonard could really see him. "I thought that I'd spun around so fast in the parking lot of the bar we left that I was in the speed force and got spat out in the wrong era."

Leonard, who meanwhile, had been laughing the whole way through Barry's rant, shook his head and offered an underarm spot on the couch, which Barry took with a huff, head lying itself on his chest. "I hate you. So much." He grumbled and mumbled.

"Love you too, Scarlet." Leonard chuckled as he ran his fingers though his hair.

"Love you too."


End file.
